SPRING TRAINING: CACTUS LEAGUE UNPLUGGED

Source: X

Well the Yankees are about where I expected as spring training moves into its midway point. With injuries already rearing their ugly head and a lot of growth needed, I am confident the Yankees will be competitive this year. And although I am used to following the Grapefruit League, this year, I had the opportunity to support teams out west in the Cactus League. So, if you bear with me, I will give you my take in Spring Training: Cactus League Unplugged.

Game 1: San Francisco Giants vs. Colorado Rockies Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, home of the both the Rockies and the Arizona Diamondbacks. Absolutely beautiful ballpark with great energy on a Monday afternoon. An absolute picturesque day for baseball. 

The game had depth, with a ton of back and forth, trading spaces for the lead. What was particularly fun was that the Giants seemed more like the New York Mets with Michael Conforto, and J.D. Davis headlining. Also present was the Panda himself Pablo Sandoval. 

It was a treat to see Kris Bryant at first base. He hit a bomb to give his team the lead for a time. The Rockies did eventually push through with a 12-10 win. And yes, you could not only get a sausage sandwich and a bag of peanuts but a fruit stick- literally just that, fruit on a stick.

Game 2: Los Angeles Angels vs. Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ- aka little Wrigley Field. What a different experience. The field was outstanding giving it a Chicago feel in the middle of the desert. Chicago Dogs and Vienna Beef were plentiful. 

And on deck for all to enjoy was former Yankee Mike Tauchman who launched one out to the fences and gave the Cubs the lead in a tightly matched game. Alson the roster was Cody Bellinger, Dansby Swanson and former Met Dom Smith. For the Angels, yes, I believe he knew I was coming and performed exactly as I would expect- Aaron Hicks. What did he do you ask- struck out looking. Yep, I heckled. No, I am not ashamed. 

I enjoyed a Chicago Dog, a tour of little Wrigley, including roof top seating and some interesting beers. The staff could not have been more accommodating, thanking me for coming out. 

I drove past a few other parks including Diablo Stadium in Tempe, home of the Angels, which has some charm according to the locals. On the outskirts of Arizona State University, the park totes images of Mike Trout around campus, hoping to drive in some college students to its old school abode.  

Spring Training Cactus League style was a unforgettable experience. And although I wish I was in Florida visiting the Yankees, it was interesting to see how the other half or so lives out west. As we move into the midpoint of spring training, I am getting excited for what's ahead. Will the Yankees jump out ahead? Will they gel? Will they stay healthy? Answers for another time but the anticipation is amazing- I hope this feeling lasts. 

--Suzie Pinstripe
BYB Senior Managing Editor
Twitter: @suzieprof

A REUNION WITH ROBERTSON MAY BE IN THE WORKS.....

Photo: Getty Images

As the second game of the Sunday Doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox got underway social media started to blowup once again. You gotta love this time of the year! It sounds like the Yankees and Red Sox are not only battling on the field at Fenway but also at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago.

We have always wondered if we would ever see David Robertson back in a Yankees uniform and based on the latest rumor by Jon Heyman HERE, we just might. It's not the first time we have written about it. Last season when the Jose Quintana talks started Robertson was attached to a rumored deal the Yankees were interested in. The White Sox have since traded Quintana away so now the question remains....are we scouting for the same player?

July 7, 2017 - Source: Matthew Stockman/Getty Images North America

The Yankees have been rumored to be looking for other options at third base all season but the Red Sox may have more need for Todd Frazier than the Yankees after the Sox decided to DFA Pablo Sandoval for.....obvious reasons. The Yankees do have issues at third base but thankfully not the same kind. The Red Sox are also looking for bullpen help but the Yankees have a more pressing need for the pitching so maybe, we won't be competing for the same guys this time.

May 26, 2017 - Source: Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images North America

We have always loved David and his wife Erin here at BYB, in fact they sold our first set of BYB shirts so we go way back.

The bullpen is a big concern for the Yankees. Dellin Betances hasn't been the same for a while now, Tyler Clippard is just horrible and Aroldis Chapman is not the same Chapman from before his trip to the disabled list. The ERA is higher and the blown save the other night really hurt. Robertson could be another great setup man or give Chapman a night off when needed and he knows what it takes to pitch here.

Photo: Getty Images

It sounds like Robertson has had a lot of anxiety recently with facing the possibility of being traded. It's hard to deal with the rumors and worrying about uprooting your family when your wife is pregnant but now that they have welcomed their daughter Violet into the world wouldn't it be a great 'homecoming' to come back to the Bronx? I think so.

I think Heyman was right when he said the Yankees "always have" loved Robertson. Fans loved him and we do too so a Robertson reunion would be a-OK with me. If anymore Robertson trade chatter happens you know we will be quick to share the news.

Until then....congrats to the Robertson's on their new bundle of joy and we hope to SEE you soon!




--Jeana Bellezza

BYB Managing Editor 
Follow me on Twitter: @NYPrincessJ

THIRD BASE IS A GROWING PROBLEM... ISN'T IT?

Photo: Getty Images

Dan Martin and Brian Costello of the New York Post say it best... third base is a 'sore spot' for the Yankees.  I like Chase Headley, but it might be over for him. First there was hope that we'd see Gleyber Torres.

Photo: Getty Images

Now Headley is out with back spasms... not that that's a bad thing. I mean, don't get me wrong, I am glad it's only back spasms, but at least it gets him off the field to maybe regroup.  The problem with that however is now we need to fill the void.

The Post writes:

(May 27, 2017 - Source: Elsa/Getty Images North America)

"Girardi said the spasms “probably” are related to the lower back issues Headley has dealt with in the past. Headley played well for a stretch earlier this month, but was in a 1-for-10 skid. Ronald Torreyes started in his place."

But Torreyes, as much as I love that guy, is not a third baseman and we desperately need to figure out this situation fast.  Jeana Bellezza just wrote about the third base problem in YANKEES CAN'T IGNORE THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM ANYMORE and might have a solution:

"2. Third Base

The Yankees have been rumored to be considering upgrades at third base for weeks now. Chase Headley is having one of the worst offensive seasons of his career and he has committed the second-most errors at third base this year. Many expect the Yankees to improve the position form within, especially with Gleyber Torres rising quickly through the minors. That may be the long term plan, but now that he has an injured elbow those plans are temporarily on hold. The Yankees will need to consider upgrades outside of the organization and the Kansas City Royals are a good trade partner. The Royals are in third place after posting the worst record in April.

(June 13, 2017 - Source: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images North America)

Their bad start has them at a slim 6.7% chance to make the playoffs so that makes Mike Moustakas a prime trade target, read more HERE. He is in the middle of a career season and the most intriguing trade target for the team. Boston is desperately trying to solve their own third place weakness with Pablo Sandoval, so the competition may cause a higher price tag."

I'm a fan of this option.  After all, we need to do something. 

What's your idea? Comment.

YANKEES CAN'T IGNORE THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM ANYMORE

(April 12, 2017 - Source: Elsa/Getty Images North America)     

There's no sugar coating what happened the past week. After an incredible winning streak the Yankees dropped a series to the Los Angeles Angels without star player Mike Trout and then went on to Oakland and got SWEPT in a four game series to a team with the worst record and run differential in the American League. The Yankees should have dominated the A's. The Yankees have some serious problems they can no longer ignore.

Here's what needs to happen. The Yankees need to work on the solutions and skip making any excuses. The Red Sox are banging on the door and first place and the division is now at stake. The Yankees have three major areas of weakness, and some of those are the same as division rivals.

(June 16, 2017 - Source: Jason O. Watson/Getty Images North America)

1. Pitching
CC Sabathia is out, and will likely be out until after the All-Star break read DOUBTFUL CC WILL BE BACK BEFORE TRADE DEADLINE for more. I don't know what the hell is going on with Masahiro Tanaka but he can't be trusted. That's two anchors of the Yankee rotation that will be missing. The Yankees are going to need starting pitching and Joel Sherman had a great piece this week HERE highlighting Brian Cashman and his trade deadline strategy.

Photo: Getty Images

The Yankees are still tied to the Jose Quintana rumors, and as the deadline gets closer the rumors will likely heat up. Sherman is right, Cashman does "deal from strength" and right now that is our middle infielders and starting pitching. The Yankees also need a lefty reliever. So who does Cashman get and who does he give up?

Photo: Getty Images

2. Third Base
The Yankees have been rumored to be considering upgrades at third base for weeks now. Chase Headley is having one of the worst offensive seasons of his career and he has committed the second-most errors at third base this year. Many expect the Yankees to improve the position form within, especially with Gleyber Torres rising quickly through the minors. That may be the long term plan, but now that he has an injured elbow those plans are temporarily on hold. The Yankees will need to consider upgrades outside of the organization and the Kansas City Royals are a good trade partner. The Royals are in third place after posting the worst record in April.

(June 13, 2017 - Source: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images North America)

Their bad start has them at a slim 6.7% chance to make the playoffs so that makes Mike Moustakas a prime trade target, read more HERE. He is in the middle of a career season and the most intriguing trade target for the team. Boston is desperately trying to solve their own third place weakness with Pablo Sandoval, so the competition may cause a higher price tag.

(April 1, 2017 - Source: Brian Blanco/Getty Images North America)

3. First Base
We all love Greg Bird. He is a big part of the Yankees future but he's not ready right now. Now that the Yankees have shut him down again the Yankees need to look at another solution potentially longer term because Rob Refsnyder and Chris Carter just don't work. The Yankees have Tyler Austin down in AAA. There was a lot of speculation that the Yankees were going to call him up on their last home stand but it never happened.

Photo: Getty Images

I guess the Yankees just don't feel like he is good enough right now. If that is the case, the Yankees could consider Yonder Alonso from the A's. He is having a breakout season and rumored to be interested in signing an extension with the team but are rarely successful in retaining high-dollar free agents. The A's are likely to make Alonso available on the trade market and his one-year, $4 million salary will make him easy to move. Division rivals the Angels and Mariners are interested in him, so maybe moving him to the Yankees will be ore appealing to the A's instead.

The Yankees just lost two series the should have won. The Angels were a sub .500 team until they dropped the last two games. The A's series was a nightmare. The Yankees should be dominating teams like this. As the season goes on the weaknesses of this team will only continue to be more obvious and the Yankees can no longer ignore the elephant in the room and they need to start making the right moves if they want to contend now.

--Jeana Bellezza
BYB Managing Editor
Follow me on Twitter: @NYPrincessJ

 

THE WINNING THAT IS THE NEW YORK YANKEES

When the Yankees win, it's what's supposed to happen. When we were losing last month, and everyone was in a funk, fans included, there is no reason to talk about the New York Yankees. We were all complaining  that Chase Headley sucked and everyone was on the DL and Jacoby Ellsbury was the worst contract in baseball history...

(I actually think Pablo Sandoval's is, but that's me) and blah, blah, blah.

Now, we're winning and everything is wonderful. There's unicorns running around my backyard, and I feel like I'm on the top of the world. 

Masahiro Tanaka set the tone tonight. 7 innings of 2 hit ball and he struck out 4.  Kirby Yates gave up the Rays only earned run and Aroldis Chapman shut them down after that. 

The Yankee run scoring went like this:

In the 6th, Brian McCann grounded out into a force and in the process, Brett Gardner scored.  Then, shortly after, Alex Rodriguez homered. It was 2 run shot scoring McCann.

Then Carlos Beltran homered.  He is unbelievable this season. Those are your Yankee 4, and like I said, the Rays scored one when Steve Pearce homered in the bottom of the 9th.

So yeah, the Yankees appear to be winning folks, currently in 4th place in the AL East and 5.5 behind the first place Red Sox.  Things are happening, and I'm very happy about that. You should be too...

Go buy a BYB shirt! Support us while you are loving the Yankees. The stores opened. CLICK HERE.

Final: Yankees 4 - Rays 1





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FAT PANDA OUT FOR 2016

Quick note about Pablo Sandoval.  He's out for the rest of the season for the Red Sox... he had surgery.

According to Hardball Talk, "Pablo Sandoval underwent successful surgery today to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder. The Red Sox said afterward that he will be out the remainder of 2016 and that they anticipate him being ready for 2017."

Not much more to say.  The dude was a bust from the moment the Sox signed the guy, and I'm gonna tell you something. 

If I'm looking at Jacoby Ellsbury and Pablo Sandoval in the same line up, I want Ellsbury who is in much better shape, despite the injuries, just because I just don't see how the hell the Sox will ever get back on that horrible investment.  Maybe it's just me...

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JOE GIRARDI GOT IT RIGHT!

"It's just baseball. It will change. You understand that you're going to go through it. When you're going through it, it's no fun. But every team goes through it. Tomorrow's a new day." 
 - Joe Girardi

And he is right. There has been a lot of doom and gloom this early in the season. It's okay to have high expectations but just like our guys need to have patience at the plate we also need to have patience as we watch in a very young season. The Yankees have only played 6% of their games for the season. There are struggles, but we have some reasons to celebrate too.

Recently Alex Rodriguez has taken a lot of criticism from he media and fans alike. He had a bad spring and that seems to have carried over into the start of the regular season. I read newspapers and blogs speculating that the end of ARod was coming and then magically one day later he hits a home run in his first at bat but then floundered in his next three. People can't seem to pick a side with ARod. Maybe people should let him just grind through it. Can we really write someone off two weeks into the season? If ARod hits another home run tomorrow will these same blogs and newspapers suddenly love him again? I wouldn't be surprised.

The starting rotation is underachieving right now. I don't think the rotation will continue to be this bad. After a dominant start on Sunday Masahiro Tanaka is the only starter with an ERA below 5.00 and complete seven innings. Obviously, the Yankees need more starts like this from all of their guys and they all know this. The Yankees have the talent and the rotation just needs to step up and do their job. It's early in the season, they will get past these hiccups.

On a comforting note, we are anxiously watching and waiting for more of the Yankees new Youth movement. The Yankees have struggled with their aging offense for awhile but two of the aging veterans of the game are off to a good start. As of this past weekend the Yankees had four regulars hitting below a .210 BA yet our older veterans Carlos Beltran (.351BA) and Brian McCann (.370BA) are off to hot starts. If they can continue to be consistent the Yankees are going to score a lot of runs. It's a good sign so far.

The bullpen isn't even at full strength yet, but they are showing the league why they could be the best bullpen in baseball. Andrew Miller is proving that he can still close out games and that he can play through an injury. The Yankees are managing just fine without Aroldis Chapman, but good news is that he will be back in action in three weeks. In two extended spring training appearances he has thrown over 100mph and has looked impressive. This bullpen is going to be lights out.

Above all, I think the American League East is wide open this year. The Yankees could win the division never mind another wildcard appearance. The Blue Jays have a lot of dangerous bats, but a weak pitching lineup. The Red Sox have made some improvements over last year but have some serious question marks wit Hanley Ramirez and nothing but drama with Pablo Sandoval. The Red Sox don't exactly have a reputation for handling drama well. The Rays have made minimal improvements over last season and the Baltimore Orioles may have started off hot, but we've seen this before. They also have an average pitching staff and the offense could easily fizzle over time. The AL East is up for grabs and it is anyone's game.

I love this game. Baseball is a game of chances and strategy. The Yankees will have their fair share of failures. In baseball you can make all of the right moves and spend a ton of money and still not get the right results. Or you can make a lot of mistakes and catch the right opportunity and still come out on top. That is what makes this game so amazing, and I can't wait to see all of it unfold for our team....all of the good with the bad.


   
--Jeana Bellezza, 
BYB Senior Writer and Editor
Twitter: @NyPrincessJ 
 





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TROUT'S A FERRARI. SANDOVAL'S A PINTO.

Pretty dumb line coming from Pablo Sandoval's agent in reference to him being recently benched in replace of Travis Shaw at third for the Red Sox this season.  I have to say, I don't like the Red Sox... but I LOVE what the Sox did here.

Pablo Sandoval is fat, not nimble, and is clearly being paid what he shouldn't be.  The Red Sox made a bad deal signing Sandoval for the amount of money they did... much like the Yankees did with Jacoby Ellsbury.

And whats more, the Sox are doing the right thing, finding the player that best fits the spot to help their team win in 2016.  Sandoval can get at bats in as the DH... but at third base... forget it. He's no good.  How about his agent telling the dude to lose some weight.

Pablo's agent said this of the recent move by the Sox:

Panda, agent rick thurman of @BHSCouncil met today. Thurman: "if you want to win, why leave the ferrari in the garage?'

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) April 1, 2016

Now look, this is just another example of a team that spent way too much money on a player, and an agent suggesting they "need" to play... because, well... he's a "franchise" type player.  I have news for you...

Mike Trout is a franchise player... a Ferrari.

Kung Fu Panda is a friggin' fat Pinto. Eventually... they break down and are bad investments.

His agent didn't help his cause here.  Pretty damn hilarious.

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